sententious
[sen-ten-shuh s]
- abounding in pithy aphorisms or maxims: a sententious book.
- given to excessive moralizing; self-righteous.
- given to or using pithy sayings or maxims: a sententious poet.
- of the nature of a maxim; pithy.
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Origin of sententious
Synonyms
See more synonyms for sententious on Thesaurus.com2. preachy, didactic, sanctimonious, moralistic.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for sententious
Historical Examples
His language has the richness and sententious fullness of the Chinese.
The Last of the MohicansJames Fenimore Cooper
"Such do the most ill," Colonel John retorted, with sententious severity.
The Wild GeeseStanley John Weyman
"Grieved to hear it, Mr. Carew," was the grave, sententious reply.
Sir Jasper CarewCharles James Lever
Its short, sententious sentences were altogether to his mind.
The Golden ShoemakerJ. W. Keyworth
"That's lucky," was the sententious comment of the old doctor.
Three PeoplePansy
sententious
- characterized by or full of aphorisms, terse pithy sayings, or axioms
- constantly using aphorisms, etc
- tending to indulge in pompous moralizing
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Word Origin
C15: from Latin sententiōsus full of meaning, from sententia; see sentence
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for sententious
adj.
mid-15c., "full of meaning," from Middle French sententieux, from Latin sententiosus "full of meaning, pithy," from sententia "thought; expression of a thought" (see sentence (n.)). Meaning "addicted to pompous moralizing" first recorded 1590s. Related: Sententiously; sententiousness.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper